Numerous commercially available tables have been developed specifically for use in supporting small computers, including tables which employ separate height-adjustable front and rear table tops for supporting different parts of the computer, such as the keyboard on the front table top and the screen or monitor on the rear table top. These known tables conventionally employ a mechanical structure which permits each of the front and rear table tops to be manually height-adjusted. Such mechanical structure typically involves releasable height-adjusting stops or manually-actuated gear mechanisms employing drive transmitting rods (such as a flexible shaft) for transmitting torque to mechanisms located adjacent opposite ends of the table. Other known tables employ powered drivers, such as electric motors, but generally a single motor is provided for each height-adjustable table top, with the motor being joined to adjusting mechanism disposed adjacent opposite ends of the table through a drive transmitting shaft (conventionally a flexible shaft) which extends transversely throughout the length of the table. While these known arrangements hence have provided the ability to independently adjust the height of the table, including adjusting the heights of the front and rear table tops independently of one another, nevertheless the known height-adjusting mechanism have traditionally been rather complex mechanical structures which have made adjusting the height more difficult than desired. It has also been observed that while such height adjustment may be performed during the initial set-up of the table and of the computer thereon, nevertheless the table is seldomly adjusted thereafter, since such tables are not readily suitable for encouraging rapid and frequent adjustment in the table top heights so as to either accommodate different operators or to encourage the operator to frequently adopt different working positions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved table or work station, particularly for supporting a computer, with greatly improved height-adjusting capabilities so as to overcome the disadvantages associated with known tables of this general type.
More specifically, the improved table of this invention preferably includes separate and independently height-adjustable front and back table tops each having separate powered drive arrangements for permitting fast and efficient height adjustment of either table top independently of the other. The drive arrangement preferably includes a separate drive motor means associated with each top, with the motor means of the two tops being connected to and controlled by a common controller, such as a microprocessor. The controller in turn is preferably controlled by an operator using a small and portable pendant-type keypad control which can be selectively positioned as desired, such as on one of the tops.
In the improved table of the present invention, as aforesaid, the controller can preferably be programmed by the operator through the control to permit storage of a number of predetermined table height locations, with each such location involving a predetermined and distinct height for each of the front and rear table tops. The controller also preferably permits a plurality of table events to be programmed as a sequence, with each event being defined by one of the predetermined table height locations in conjunction with a predetermined time interval during which the table tops will be maintained at the predetermined height location. The controller and the programming therefor permits the table tops to be automatically sequenced from one table event to the next event so as to facilitate and yet substantially mandate desired changes in table height position. The change from one event to the next event is announced to the operator by visual and/or audible prompts, and movement to the next table event occurs only when the operator inputs an activating signal.
The improved table of the present invention, as aforesaid, preferably includes means associated with the motor and the controller, for providing a visual readout as to the actual height of each table top so as to facilitate proper positioning of the tops at desired heights and/or relocating of the tops at other heights. The controller is capable of determining the existing table height and of driving the tables to new table heights, such as in response to an instruction to move to a predetermined table location as previously programmed into the controller.
The improved table of the present invention, as aforesaid, preferably incorporates a pair of drive motors associated with each table top, namely right and left drive motors associated with the respective right and left support legs or pedestals of the table top. The pair of drive motors are preferably small low-voltage DC motors to eliminate complex electrical and/or mechanical connections between the right and left pedestals. The controller includes means for synchronizing the driving of the two motors so as to maintain the table top substantially level at all times. Each motor of the pair preferably has a brake and signal generating arrangement associated therewith, both coupled to and controlled from the controller. The brake prevents accidental or load-induced downward driving of the table top, and the signal generator sends signals to a counter which is part of the controller to permit storing, programming, and recalling of predetermined table height locations.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.